Top 10 Unbelievable Facts about the Ceasars Superdome

Image by Infrogmation of New Orleans from Wikimedia

Top 10 Unbelievable Facts about the Ceasars Superdome

The Caesars Superdome (formerly known as the Louisiana Superdome (1975–2011)  and the Mercedes-Benz Superdome  (2011–2021) and also simply known as the Superdome) is a multi-purpose stadium located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana.

It is the home stadium of the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL).

In July 20121 Louisiana legislators approved the New Orleans Saints organization’s naming rights agreement with Caesars Entertainment for the iconic New Orleans landmark.

The largest gaming company in the U.S. now has the naming rights sponsor for the next 20 years.

The Superdome has hosted many landmark historic events, it was born during the first great era of domed stadiums in the 1970s but is the only one from the era that remains viable.

What is even more extraordinary is that the completely renovated stadium today stands as one of the top 10 nationally.

Due to New Orleans weather, the NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle advised for a domed stadium.

The idea gained the support of Louisiana Governor John McKeithen. McKeithen.

The Ceasars Superdome is an icon of the New Orleans skyline, holds a special place in the city’s history and has shaped the international sports and entertainment landscape for nearly four decades.

Its fan amenities and technology upgrades also make it one of the world’s most advanced stadiums

1. The  Superdome is a Major Tourist Destination  in New Orleans

Image by Coastie Wife 2008 from Wikimedia

The Superdome covers 70 acres of land and has a football seating capacity of 76,468. Due to its size, the Superdome is one of the major tourist destinations in the United States.

It is home to the NFL’s New Orleans Saints, the NCAA’s Division I-A Tulane Green Wave football team (the largest football stadium in Conference USA), the State Farm Bayou Classic, the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, the Allstate Sugar Bowl and every fourth year, the BCS National Championship game.

It is one of the few facilities in the US which can host major sporting events, such as the Super Bowl and the Final Four; as such has given New Orleans’ popularity as a tourist destination, whenever it bids to host such an event it routinely makes the shortlist of candidates being considered.

1. With a 10 Acre Roof, Caesars Superdome is the Largest Fixed Dome Structure in the World

Image by Jocelyn Agustino from Wikimedia

With a diameter of 680 feet, the Ceasars Superdome is the largest fixed dome structure in the world.

The area of the roof is 9.7 acres or 440,000 square feet.

It is the world’s largest entirely steel-constructed arena unobstructed by posts or columns. It took 20,000 tons of steel to build this behemoth. 

From the Superdome floor, the roof reaches 273 feet.

It could comfortably house another landmark of the New Orleans skyline, the St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square which stands at 172 feet.  

The main arena floor of the Ceasars Superdome offers 166,180 square feet of entertainment space (3.8 acres).

The building holds 125 million square feet of air and is cooled by 9,000 tons of air conditioning

There are 17 elevators, 42 escalators and two handicap lift s in the Ceasars  Superdome.

There are also 1,121 televisions to elevate your visual experience.

2. Ceasars Superdome Award-Winning Exterior LED Lighting

Image by Au Kirk from Wikimedia

The Superdome’s exterior’s LED lighting system features more than 26,000 LED lights in 288 fixtures.

The LED lighting system is capable of reproducing myriad colour patterns and images by a customizable program and illuminating the Superdome is often used to raise awareness for charitable causes.

When operating in a single colour, it draws only 10 kilowatts of electricity or the equivalent of one small home when operated six hours per day every day of a year

No lights are expected to be replaced until 2057.

The system won the 2012 “Excellence in Design” award in the ‘Architainment’ category from Live Design Magazine, a leading architecture, design and event production publication.

3. Ceasars  Superdrome’s  Super Skin

Image by Infrogmation of New Orleans from Wikimedia

Nearly 400,000 square feet of aluminium makes up the exterior skin of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

The custom anodized, light bronze exterior panels have a fade-proof finish, measure 1-foot by 25-feet, and weigh approximately 27.5 pounds each.

The aluminium was custom made for the project.

4. The Ceasars Superdome Sitting can be Custom Configured…

Wrestlemania in the Superdome Image by Meagan Elice Meadows from Wikimedia

Though there are multiple configurations for concerts and events, there is a seating capacity of 73,208 for New Orleans Saints games.

Patrons enjoy improved sightlines with the sideline seating on the Plaza Level.

 For an NCAA Final Four basketball game seating capacity is 67,500. While centre stage concert, the maximum seating is 83,000.

For football, maximum seating is generally considered 74,290

5.      ..  or Watch and  Relax in the Lofty Private Suites

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

With the finest amenities and amazing sightlines, experience an event in the private comfort of the Superdome Luxury Suites.

The Field, 300 and 400 Level suites offer upscale settings for the best in event viewing and entertainment, and include interior and bowl seating.

The Superdome has 165 suites, which allow guests to witness events in luxury from premium locations. Exclusive in-suite catering is provided by Sodexo Live!.

A total of 64 suites are located on the 400 Level and offer a range of 22-40 seats in the stadium bowl.

The 300 Level boasts 89 additional suites each containing 16-20 seats in the stadium bowl. The newest suites are the 12 Field Level Suites located in the North End Zone which each offer 14-24 seats.

The luxury suites typically come with complimentary VIP parking passes in lots nearest to your corresponding suite entrance

6. The Superdome Provided Refuge to Hurricane Katrina’s 30,000 Evacuees

Image by Win Henderson from Wikimedia

In August 2005, the Louisiana Superdome became a shelter of last resort as Hurricane Katrina set sights on New Orleans.

Although 30 years old and built in a floodplain, the structure stood firm and saved the lives of thousands of people.

When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2005, approximately 30,000 evacuees sought protection inside its walls and had no other means to leave the city.

If not for the Superdome, many of them would have perished.

However, the wind ripped open holes in the Superdome’s roof and water poured inside causing massive damage.

Within weeks experts declared the Superdome structurally sound and the work of cleaning, drying and restoring it began.

In the spirit of New Orleans’s resilience, it has since reclaimed its status as a premier venue worldwide for major entertainment and sporting events

7.  Ceasars Superdome, Superbowl Hosting Record

Image bt Lordsuctch from Wikimedia

Caesars Superdome hosted the Super Bowl 7 times which is more than any other venue.

These include Super Bowl XII (1978), XV (1981), XX (1986), XXIV (1990), XXXI (1997), XXXVI (2002) and XLVII (2013).  

The Superdome has also held five NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Fours (1982, 1987, 1993, 2003, 2012).

Five NCAA Basketball Division I Regionals (1981, 1990, 1999, 2001, 2011), four NCAA Basketball First and Second Rounds (1999, 2001, 2007, 2010), and three BCS College Football Championship Games hosted by the Sugar Bowl (2004, 2008, 2012)

8. Ceasars Superdrome  installed Largest Distributed Antanae  System  in  the US

To enhance the experience of patrons and offer greater customer engagement service, in 2011 a state-of-the-art telecommunications network capable of supporting wireless voice, data and text services across the complex via a neutral-host Distributed Antenna System (DAS) was installed.

When it was completed, the Superdome’s network was the largest DAS system of its kind in the US.

The network of antenna nodes can split a cellular signal among several smaller antennas throughout the building.

It features 950 remote antennas and 70 miles of cable and is engineered to serve patrons inside the Superdome and additional patrons in adjacent facilities simultaneously.

During major events at the complex, the total turnout can top 100,000

9. Ceasars Superdome’s Turf   Grass Yarn if  Stretched can  run from New Orleans to Madrid

Image by Kend Lund from Wikimedia

The Ceasars Superdome is home to the largest indoor turf field in the country at 111,831 square feet.

Over 110,000 square feet of Speed S5-UM was installed before the 2010 NFL season, 

The synthetic turf is filled with a mixture of 70 %  rubber and 30 % sand – 750,000 pounds of the combination is brushed in to provide a firm and safe playing surface.

The turf surface is designed to enable proper foot traction.

The grass yarns in this high face weight system would stretch for roughly 25,213,240 feet or about 4,775 miles.

That is the approximate distance between the Superdome and Madrid, Spain!

10. After Hurricane Katrina’s Damage to the Superdome, was the Largest Roof  Job  in American History

 In 2006, following the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina and as part of the five-year, $336 million upgrade project, Trahan Architects and roofing contractor Brazos Urethane collaborated on what the New Orleans Times-Picayune called “the largest roof job in American history.”

More than 10,000 pieces of galvanized metal decking were mounted on the roof and then coated with a 2.5-inch layer of polyurethane foam.

It took nearly half a million gallons of foam to complete the entire roof. Workers then applied five layers of urethane coating, resulting in a membrane about as thick as a nickel.

The Superdome hosted its first event after Hurricane Katrina, a Monday Night Football game between the Saints and the Atlanta Falcons just 2 months after roof repairs.

Lastly, Champions Square opened in 2010 at the site of the former New Orleans Centre mall.

It includes a grand staircase to the Plaza Level to provide a prominent entryway to the Superdome, the luxury club XLIV lounge, as well as the indoor entertainment areas club XLIV and Opening Act.

Champions Square includes a fixed, custom stage for national touring acts and the festival space has become one of New Orleans’ most popular outdoor venues.

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